Films spent $278 million here, earned $69 million last year

Wednesday

May 1, 2013 at 9:19 AM

Tax credits paid by North Carolina are expected to be more than double than the previous year.

By Cassie FossCassie.Foss@StarNewsOnline.com

Film, television and commercial productions spent more than $275 million in North Carolina and employed about 14,000 people in the past fiscal year, according to N.C. Department of Revenue records.According to a film production tax credit report released this week, 30 productions looking to defray filming costs could collect nearly $70 million in tax credits from the state's general fund, thanks to North Carolina's film tax incentives.Film companies collected a little more than $30 million in credits from the state in 2011, and about $2.4 million in 2010.Under state law, production companies can claim a 25 percent tax credit – up to $20 million – if they spend more than $250,000 on items purchased in-state.So far this year, however, only about $51 million in rebates have been claimed by productions because some have not filed 2012 tax returns, N.C. Film Office Director Aaron Syrett said Tuesday.The tax credit report is based the state's fiscal calendar and only takes into account data from productions that submitted paperwork after filming wrapped, but haven't been audited by the Dept. of Revenue, Syrett said. A handful of productions that filmed in Wilmington in 2012, including NBC's “Revolution,” New Line's “We're the Millers,” the Lifetime pilot “Witches of East,” and the independent thriller “Jessabelle,” do not appear in the report.Once those productions have been accounted for, the total spending for the 2012 calendar year should meet the film office's earlier projections of $376 million, according to Syrett.

By far the biggest spender in 2012 was "Iron Man 3," which sunk about $81 million into North Carolina businesses and employed about 2,300 people while filming in various counties, including New Hanover and Duplin. The Marvel production, which wrapped in November after 13 months of work, also received the largest tax break of any locally filmed production – $20 million.
The superhero sequel hits theaters on Friday.
Hours before the state's tax credit report hit the Internet, Hollywood's main trade association, the Motion Picture Association of America, released an independent economic impact analysis that focused solely on "Iron Man 3." The study argues that the film, the state's largest production to date, was a shot in the arm to its economy.
The trade association, which is composed of six major Hollywood studios, including Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures, asserts that "Iron Man 3" was responsible for nearly $180 million of spending in the state and put about 2,043 residents to work.

Other large productions in the report include “Hunger Games,” which filmed in nine Northwestern North Carolina counties in 2011 and spent about $55 million, and “Homeland,” which spent about $30 million in Charlotte and Mecklenburg County. Those productions collected about $14 million and $8 million in credits, respectively.Others, such as “One Tree Hill,” which wrapped filming in 2011, are included in the report because producers filed tax returns in 2012. The CW series spent $25.2 million region, earning it a $6.3 million credit, the report said.Besides being Wilmington's longest running TV series, “One Tree Hill” put local businesses like construction material retailer Bruce Watkins Supply to work during lean times. The supply company at 1940 Dawson St. has long done business with TV series and movies, supplying to the likes of “Super Mario Bros.” and “Dawson's Creek,” but this may be its best show biz year yet, said owner Scott Harry.“They're great customers all the time, but right now they are of more value to us than ever before, especially in this economy,” Harry said. “I give them my home number – you never know when they're going to call.”Those who are employed directly by productions say the state's film incentive program has been an essential boost to the industry.Many local film workers spent the 2000s roaming between out-of-state productions or shifting to other fields.Construction buyer Connie Stewart was one of them.“I started as a driver on ‘Firestarter' in 1983 and was lucky enough to be employed by different productions every year,” she said. “I had to leave the business about 12 years ago when the work dried up and I couldn't leave home like so many others did. The incentives are necessary and now that they're back, they're essential to keep people at home to watch their kids grow up.”Stewart returned to the industry in 2012 and was quickly snapped up to work on “The Conjuring” and “Iron Man 3.” She turned to Bruce Watkins for supplies.“I always like to stick with the mom and pops when I can and I try and keep it as close to home as possible,” she said. Here are numbers behind some of the other productions based in Southeastern North Carolina this past year:“The Conjuring”: $17 million in qualifying expenses; $4.2 million credit earned“Safe Haven”: $16 million in qualifying expenses; $4 million credit earned“The Occult” (aka “Where the Devil Hides”): $7.6 million in qualifying expenses; $1.9 million credit earned“Writers” (aka “Stuck in Love”): $3.7 million in qualifying expenses; $920,000 credit earned

Go to StarNewsOnline.com/filmaudit to search our database for information on productions throughout North Carolina since 2008.